Intestinal metaplasia in benign and malignant gastric lesions

The purpose of this study has been to determine the prevalence of intestinal metaplasia (IM) and its subtypes in normal, benign and malignant states, with special reference to the significance of presence as well as location of sulphomucins in the metaplastic epithelium. Sixty-seven specimens of the normal, benign chronic gastric disease and gastric carcinoma have been studied. The overall prevalence of IM in gastric carcinoma has been found to be much higher (67 percent) than in the normal (nil) and benign lesions of stomach (11 percent). The sulphomucins producing IM also has a higher prevalence in gastric carcinoma (70 percent) but can occur in benign conditions also (40 percent). On the other hand Type III IM, characterized by sulphomucins in the columnar cells is seen only in gastric carcinoma, and not in the benign lesions.